Railway track support



y 1963 x. H. MAYNIER RAILWAY TRACK SUPPORT Filed 001;. 10, 1960 Z & 5 0a@256 //VVEN70R Zoo/s X H MA r/v/ae United States Patent 3,088,674RAILWAY TRACK SUPPORT Louis X. H. Maynier, 7 Scott St, Waverley,Johannesburg, Transvaal, Republic of South Africa Filed Oct. 10, 1960,Ser. No. 61,463 Claims priority, application Republic of South AfricaOct. 21, 1959 Claims. (Cl. 238-44) This invention relates to permanentway and more particularly to a method of laying it.

One method of laying a railway track is to attach the rails totransverse sleepers which are laid on a prepared earth foundation.Ballast is then distributed and packed under the sleepers. Manydisadvantages are manifest in a permanent way of this kind. Forinstance, the support provided by the ballast may vary at differentpoints along the length of a sleeper. Also, the foundation may beoverloaded at certain points due to the inconstancy of the ballast.

The conventional sleepered track requires a space to be left betweensleepers in order to pack more ballast under the sleepers whennecessary. Four portions only of the sleepers entire length are tightlypacked with ballast, namely, those portions immediately adjacent therails and on both sides thereof. The result of this is that the load istransmitted from a sleeper to the foundation mainly via these fourcolumns of ballast. Thus the load is applied to the earth foundationonly at isolated places within any given area available for foundationloading. It usually happens that through attrition, vibration, shock andother forces from moving loads as well as through rain, wind, heatingand cooling, the four columns referred to rarely give constant and equalsupport for any length of time and concave or convex bending of thesleepers follows and is accompanied by corresponding tilting of therails, either inwardly or outwardly.

Ballast, as normally used and maintained is subject to a number ofdrawbacks.

When lost rail height is restored by packing or tamping the ballastcolumns back to their correct height, either hand tools or mechanicaltampers are used. These tools tend to break up the ballast. Trackresilience is best achieved with clean hard ballast of uniform size. Theinterstices between stones leave room for elastic movement under load.Progressive breaking up of ballast, whether it be by way of attrition,exposure to the elements, vibration and so on, destroys this ideal stateof affairs. Furthermore, coal dust, ash, sand and dust are trapped inthe outer surface of the ballast from which they find their way into theinterstices due to the vibration of passing trains, rain or wind.Gradually the dirt fills the interstices in the ballast, to form withit, a solid unyielding mass. Other factors and circumstances contributeto the disadvantages of ballast as the ideal cushioning medium forpermanent Way.

Many of the present disadvantages of the sleeper-andballast system oflaying permanent way have been minimised by the use of concrete sleepersand resilient means. Other attempts at improving permanent way have beenthe use of heavier and more durable materials, the elimination of railjoints and the preparation of improved foundations. Varying success hasattended these efforts but much of the reduction in maintenance costshas been offset by greatly increased initial costs.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of layingpermanent way that minimises or substantially overcomes thedisadvantages outlined above, particularly those relating to the use ofballast and the inefilcient exploitation of the available earthfoundation.

According to the invention railway permanent way includes a foundation,at least one base member on the foundation, the base member supportingat least one intermediate longitudinal beam by means of resilient padsat either end of the longitudinal beam; the longitudinal beam beingsplit longitudinally and a Strip of resilient material located centrallyin the split, the longitudinal beam being provided on its upper surfacewith raised portions at either end thereof, and rails resting on theraised portions and attached to one of the group comprising theintermediate beams and the base members.

In the preferred form of the invention, the raised portions areconstituted by rubber or other resilient pads located at either end ofthe intermediate beams.

It will be realised that the load 011 the rail is directed firstly onthe raised portions at either end of the upper surface of thelongitudinal beams. Next, the load is transferred to thecentrally-located strip of resilient material in the split longitudinalbeam, the spaces at either end of which (being under the raised portionson the upper surface of the beam) allow a deflection of the top half ofthe beam. The load is then transferred to the resilient pads between thebottoms of the longitudinal beam and the base, which pads are located ateither end of the beam. Thus, the load on the rail undergoes twodeviations in direction one from the ends of the beam (raised portions)to the centre and the other from the centre to the ends again. Thedeflection of the intermediate longitudinal beam may be adjusted bymeans of the attachment of the rails to either the beam or the base.

The load on the rail is therefore largely dissipated through itsdeviations in direction, absorption by the various resilient pads andthe deflection of the intermediate longitudinal beam.

Further according to the invention a beam is split longitudinally and arubber or other resilient strip is located in the split, preferablycentrally therein. Rubber pads may be located on the longitudinal beamsto constitute the raised portions.

Still further according to the invention resilience is provided betweena rail and a beam and/ or a beam and a base.

The resilience between a rail and a beam and/or a beam and a base maytake the form of a rubber pad or the like ,and/ or the naturaldeflection of the beam. The rails are held to the correct gauge of therailway by tie rods which may be insulated and adjustable and which mayjoin opposite rails, or beams, or bases.

The bases and beams used in the method of the invention may beconstructed from wood, concrete or steel.

An embodiment of the invention is described hereunder with reference tothe accompanying drawings, in which.

FIGURE 1 is a side view, partly in section of permanent way laidaccording to the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a part plan view of permanent way laid according to theinvention,

FIGURE 3 is a section along the line 33 of FIG- URE 1,

FIGURE 4 is a section along the line 4-4 of FIG- URE l, and

FIGURE 5 is a similar View to FIGURE 4, with parts omitted, illustratingthe attechment of the tie-rod to a rail.

In the drawings a base member 10 is first laid on to an earth foundation11 at an inward cant to suit the particular railway system (a commoncant is about 1 in 20) and secured thereto by pins 12. Alternatively therails may be canted. The base 10 is provided with upstanding projections13 between which intermediate beams 14 are located on top of pads 15 ofrubber or other resilient material. Timber may be regarded in thisrespect as resilient.

The intermediate beams 14 are split longitudinally as shown at 16 and arubber or other resilient strip 17 is inserted in the split. This servesto impart a resilience to the beam by giving it freedom to deflect.

To prevent longitudinal displacement of a beam, it is provided with apair of lugs 18 fitting into correspond.- ing depressions in the basemember 10.

Two resilient pads 19 are located on top of each of the beams 14 andmetal trays 20 are then located on the pads 19. The trays 20 are flangedas at 21 to prevent movement of the tray and the rail. Rails 22 are heldinside the trays 20. It will be realized that the trays rest on theraised portions of the intermediate beams 14.

The rails 22 are held down by claws 23 from which leaf springs 24 aresuspended. At either end of the leaf springs are downwardly-extendingelements 25 terminating in books 26 engaging in staples 27 embedded intothe base members 10.

It will be realized that many difierentmethods of holding down the railare possible and the invention is not limited to the method describedabove; for example a single coil or other spring may engage with claw 23above and with a rod passing through staples 27 in the bases.Alternatively a rubber thong or the like may be used.

It will be seen that the resilience of the arrangement is provided bydeflection of the rail itself between each raised portion provided bythe pads 19'and also between the two portions of the beams 14; throughthe resilience of the beams 14 themselves (provided by strips 17 and 15)and also by means of resilient pads 15 themselves.

An adjustable tie-rod 28 is located between adjacent rails 22 so thatthe gauge of the railway may be varied, if required;

I claim:

1. Railway permanent Way including a foundation, a base member on thefoundation, a rail and supporting means for the rail comprising at leastone longitudinal intermediate beam between the base member and the rail,raised portions at each end of the longitudinal beam, on' which the railrests, and a strip of resilient material disposed between said basemember and said longitudinal intermediate beam, said resilient materialbeing staggered in relation to the raised portions in plan and sideviews.

2. Railway permanent way including a foundation, at least one basemember on the foundation, the base member supporting at least oneintermediate longitudinal beam by means of resilient pads, one at eitherend of the longitudinal beam; the longitudinal beam being splitlongitudinally and a strip of resilient material located Inidway in thesplit, the longitudinal beam being provided on its upper surface withraised portions at either end thereof, the raised portions beingvertically above the resilient pads supporting the longitudinal beam andS a gered in relation to thestrip of resilient material in the split,and a rail resting on the raised portions and attached to one of thegroup comprising the intermediate beams and the base members.

3. Railway permanent way including a foundation, at least one basemember on the foundation, the base member supporting at least oneintermediate longitudinal beam by means of resilient pads, one at eitherend of the longitudinal beam; the longitudinal beam being splitlongitudinally and a strip of resilient material located mid-way in thesplit, the longitudinal beam being provided on its upper surface with araised portion at either end thereof, the raised portions beingvertically above the resilient pads supporting the longitudinal beam andstaggered in relation to the strip of resilient material in the split; ametal tray located on the raised portions, and a rail resting inthe trayand attached to one of the group comprising the intermediate beams andthe base members.

4. Railway permanent way including a foundation, at least one basemember on the foundation, the base member supporting at least oneintermediate longitudinal beam by means of two resilient pads, one ateither end of the longitudinal beam; the longitudinal beam being splitlongitudinally and a strip of resilient material located mid-way in thesplit, the longitudinal beam being provided on its upper surface withtwo resilient pads one at either end thereof, the latter resilient padsand the resilient pads supporting the intermediate longitudinal beamsbeing in the same vertical line 'and staggered with respect to the stripof. resilient material in the split; and a rail resting on the resilientpads on the upper surface of the beam and attached to one of the groupcomprising the intermediate beams andthe base members.

5. Railway permanent way including a foundation, at least one basemember on the foundation, the base member supporting at least oneintermediate longitudinal beam by means of two resilient pads, one ateither end of the longitudinal beam; the longitudinal beam being splitlongitudinally and a strip of resilient material located mil-way inthesplit, the longitudinal beam being provided on its upper surface withtwo resilient pads one at either end thereof, the latter resilient padsandthe resilient pads supporting the intermediate longitudinal beamsbeing in the same vertical line and staggered with respect to the stripof resilient material in the split; a metal tray located on theresilient pad on the upper surface of the beamand a rail resting in thetray and attached to one of the group comprising the intermediate beamsand the base members.

References ,Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS109,504 Fisher Nov. 22, 1870 208,957 Card Oct. 15, 1878 758,613 BeezerMay 3, 1904 771,862 Deemer Oct. 11, 1904 896,501 Womer Aug. 18, 19081,139,753 Cooper May 18, 1915 1,191,044 Trow July 11, 1916 1,213,141Wells, Mar. 6, 1917 1,413,085 Wells Apr. 18, 1922 1,704,545, PettersonMar. 5, 1929 2,779,543 Gronlund Jan. 29, 1957

1. RAILWAY PERMANENT WAY INCLUDING A FOUNDATION, A BASE MEMBER ON THE FOUNDATION, A RAIL AND SUPPORTING MEANS FOR THE RAIL COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE LONGITUDINAL INTERMEDIATE BEAM BETWEEN THE BASE MEMBER AND THE RAIL, RAISED PORTIONS AT EACH END OF THE LONGITUDINAL BEAM, ON WHICH THE RAIL RESTS, AND A STRIP OF RESILIENT MATERIAL DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID BASE MEMBER AND SAID LONGITUDINAL INTERMEDIATE BEAM, SAID RESILIENT MATERIAL BEING STAGGERED IN RELATION TO THE RAISED PORTIONS IN PLAN AND SIDE VIEWS. 